NATHANAEL DUNNING
Data & AI Platform Engineer
Specializing in modern data platforms using the Apache Stack & Azure.
Transforming enterprise data into actionable intelligence.
01. Profile Description
Based in Keller, TX. I'm a Data & AI Platform Engineer with a track record of designing and maintaining enterprise-scale data pipelines — currently at Marriott International, building Microsoft Fabric pipelines and reporting tables on the team that governs the company's entire Fabric tenant.
My passion lies in Lakehouse Architecture, Real-time Analytics, and building resilient infrastructure that empowers business decisions.
When I'm not engineering data pipelines, I'm optimizing my home lab (Linux VMs, Docker, game servers, Jellyfin, self-hosted AI/web applications), running D&D campaigns, writing fantasy narratives, managing investments, or traveling.
02. Experience Logs
- Building Microsoft Fabric data pipelines and reporting tables supporting enterprise compliance initiatives.
- Operating on the Data & Integration team that governs Marriott's entire Microsoft Fabric tenant.
- Retained by the data organization for broader platform work on its own budget (extension through Dec 2026).
- Designed end-to-end Azure Data Factory pipelines ingesting data from Oracle EBS & DB2 into Microsoft Fabric Lakehouses using Spark.
- Supported datasets ranging from small tables to 6 billion+ records, managing daily and hourly ingestion schedules.
- Implemented watermark-based incremental loading and upsert logic for efficient reprocessing.
- Architected raw, curated, and semantic layers using Medallion Architecture, star schema, and snowflake schema patterns with dimensional modeling best practices.
- Led data engineering efforts as primary technical owner for enterprise tradeshow applications supporting $40M+ in sales across 110K+ store locations and 80 distribution centers.
- Awarded the 212 Award for Innovation for critical data engineering contributions.
- Implemented Type 1 and Type 2 slowly changing dimensions to track historical changes in master data tables.
- Designed partitioning strategies using monthly and yearly keys to optimize query performance on finance datasets.
- Provided production on-call support in coordination with RunOps teams using monitoring alerts, logs, and dashboards.
- Advocated for and contributed to adoption of Git-based version control and CI/CD practices using Azure DevOps, improving deployment safety and code review processes.
- Developed data-driven applications using Azure Synapse, Databricks, SQL, and Python.
- Transitioned legacy reporting workflows to cloud-based analytics platforms.
- Developed data-driven applications using Azure Synapse, Databricks, SQL, and Python.
- Transitioned legacy reporting workflows to cloud-based analytics platforms.
- Partnered with stakeholders to deliver solutions for finance and operational reporting.
- Contributed to development of dimensional data models supporting finance and operational reporting requirements.
- Supported Azure-based analytics and ML initiatives using SQL and Python.
- Assisted with data ingestion and validation for enterprise-scale datasets.
03. Technical Modules
🏗️ Data Platforms
- Microsoft Fabric
- Azure Data Factory
- Apache Spark
- Databricks
- Azure Synapse
- Power BI
💻 Programming
- Python (pandas, PySpark, requests, scikit-learn, XGBoost)
- SQL (Complex Joins, CTEs, Window Functions)
- Spark SQL
- Oracle SQL
- IBM DB2 SQL
- Microsoft SQL
☁️ Infrastructure
- Microsoft Azure (Primary)
- AWS / GCP (Familiar)
- Docker
- Linux
⚙️ Engineering
- Lakehouse Architecture
- Medallion Architecture
- Dimensional Modeling (Star, Snowflake, SCD)
- Incremental Loading
- Watermark-Based Pipelines
- Partitioning Strategies
🛡️ Data Quality
- Schema Validation
- Row Count Reconciliation
- Summation Reconciliation
- Null Checks / Duplicates
- Data Profiling
- Manual QA Workflows
🚀 DevOps
- Azure DevOps (CI/CD)
- Git / Version Control
- Jira
04. Code Repos
MTG Data Enrichment
Google Colab / APIs / Python / Data Enrichment
Data enrichment pipeline for Magic: The Gathering card collection data.
View CodeDnD 2024 Character Generator
Google Colab / Python / HTML / CSS
1st level character sheet generator for Dungeons & Dragons using 2024 rules.
View CodeAnime Discovery Engine
Google Colab / APIs / Python / SQL / Database Design
Recommendation engine for discovering new anime titles.
View Code05. Education Database
BBA, Business Computer Information Systems
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor — 2022
High School
Harvest Christian Academy — 2018
06. Leadership Protocols
Managed donor relations and ops for $70k–$100k budget. Restructured board governance for compliance. Generated six figures in donations for student leadership conference.
Led the university investment club operations.
07. Personal Systems
Home Lab Infrastructure
- Linux VMs for development and testing
- Docker containerization for application deployment
- Game servers for multiplayer hosting (including D&D virtual tabletop platforms)
- Jellyfin media server
- Self-hosted AI applications and web services
- Home Assistant for automation (YAML-based configuration)
- Development tools and experimental platforms
Creative Projects
- Tabletop RPG storytelling: active D&D player and campaign notetaker, crafting extensively detailed character backstories focused on narrative continuity, character relationships, and world-building integration
- Creative writing: fantasy narrative development with emphasis on complex character relationships and multi-generational storytelling
Web Development
- Built and maintain npdfw.com using AI-assisted development workflows for rapid prototyping and iteration